Most wanted gifts for teens in 2018

Tailoring holiday gifts to your teen's hobbies and interests is one of the best ways to find something they'll love.

Tailoring holiday gifts to your teen's hobbies and interests is one of the best ways to find something they'll love.

Jennifer Blair, BestReviews

Holiday shopping for young kids is usually pretty easy — grab almost any toy and they’ll be happy. But once kids enter the teen years, finding the perfect gift can start to feel like mission impossible. They’ve got strong opinions on just about everything under the sun, especially what items are actually cool enough to get them excited enough to unwrap. But that doesn’t mean you should resort to gift cards. If the teens in your life are notoriously hard to please, we’ve got you covered.

Want to be a holiday hero this year? To make your holiday shopping a little easier, here are six of the hottest gifts for teens in 2018.

Virtual reality headsets are definitely a cool tech item, and since they’ve been out for a few years now, you can pick up one for a reasonable price. This Pansonite headset is very affordable but still offers a high-quality 3D VR experience that any teen is sure to love. It’s compatible with most smartphones, so it allows for panoramic video, photo, and 3D IMAX movie viewing for tons of fun.

If your teen’s a gamer, he can even connect a smartphone to the computer and have an immersive video game experience unlike anything he’s seen before. The headset offers a comfortable design that minimizes stress on the head and face and reduces eyestrain. It also boasts high-quality audio, with sound that really helps to enrich the VR experience.

These days, everything old is new again, so any creative teen will love this instant film camera. But this instant camera isn’t like the ones you remember from your own youth. It’s designed especially for the selfie generation and produces credit-card-size photos. It also features an automatic flash to capture perfect pics even in low-light situations. Your teen will enjoy using a variety of fun modes to take highly artistic photos.

Best of all, the camera is extremely user-friendly, so your teen can start snapping photos right away. The bundle includes the camera in a fun cobalt blue shade, strap, batteries, and film with 20 exposures — everything your teen needs for instant photography in one fabulous gift.

Your teen is sure to love this beanie that combines style with serious tech functionality. The simple black hat lets your teen look cool while keeping warm, but it also features a built-in Bluetooth-connected microphone and speakers that are compatible with most smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other devices. It allows for hands-free calling and music streaming with high-quality audio without any uncomfortable earbuds or bulky headphones.

The beanie has a 33-foot wireless range, and the built-in battery offers up to four hours of continuous playtime. It’s made of warm acrylic fiber and offers a unisex style that’s perfect for any teen on your list. Best of all, if you remove the speaker driver and battery, it’s machine washable.

If there’s a big-time gamer on your shopping list, she will definitely appreciate this stylish, comfortable gaming chair. It rotates 360 degrees for free range of motion while playing, and it’s made of breathable net fabric that will keep your teen cool even in the warmest summer weather. The soft headrest and lumbar support offer comfort during marathon gaming sessions, too.

When your teen isn’t gaming, it makes a perfect desk chair for doing homework or studying. It’s even comfortable enough for a quick nap. The cool black and cobalt blue design is sure to be a hit, too.

For the teen who prefers board games to video games, this card game for ages 14 and up might be the perfect gift. You only need two people to play, but it can accommodate up to eight, so it’s perfect for almost any occasion. The premise is a little silly — the first player to put together an army of seven unicorns wins — but it requires some serious strategy, so it’s sure to keep your teens challenged.

This game was one of Kickstarter’s most backed projects of all time. Expansion packs are available to keep the fun going once your teen masters the basic version.

If you’ve got a practical-minded teen on your hands, this backpack is sure to be a welcome gift. With 16 liters of storage space, it’s large enough to hold all of your teen’s books for school or belongings for a sleepover at a friend’s house. The iconic Kanken design is popular enough with teens to make a serious style statement, too.

The vinyl-nylon material resists dirt and water, so it can hold up to the abuse that most teenagers dish out. It also has a two-way rain flap and comfortable shoulder straps, making it a truly solid bag.

If shopping for the teens in your life makes you a little anxious, there’s no need to fret. With these can’t-miss gift ideas, you’ll score major points this holiday season and get your shopping done in record time.

Jennifer Blair is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money. BestReviews never accepts free products from manufacturers and purchases every product it reviews with its own funds.

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